Famous Interfaith Couples

By Lionel Arkin, Aug 27, 2017

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Mark Zuckerberg And Priscilla Chan

The creator of Facebook was raised Jewish, but after his marriage to Chan, who is not religious, he calls himself just Atheist. For the majority of their relationship, the two could be considered an interfaith couple.

Tom Hanks And Rita Wilson

Born Margarita Ibrahimoff, Rita Wilson was raised in the Greek Orthodox faith by both of her parents. Hanks was born a devout Catholic but later dabbled in a few Protestant denominations. Tom and Rita must have an unbelievable love connection because after years together he finally decided to completely convert for his soon to be bride. Before marrying Wilson in 1988, Hanks converted to the Greek Orthodox Church, the religion which has remained scared to Wilson and her family.

Alan Alda And Arlene Weiss

We guess what they say is true love does conquer all, especially a difference in religious perspective. To the untrained eye one may think these two are just a pair of best friends, but really they’ve been married for 60 years! Isn’t that something? The once hunky M*A*S*H star Alda was raised Catholic but has since become Agnostic. Weiss, on the other hand, is Jewish but they do celebrate both Catholic and Jewish holidays together.

Ivanka Trump And Jared Kushner

These two have been in the news quite a lot recently, but the fact that they are one of America’s most high-profile interfaith couple is something not many people are aware of. Ivanka Trump, fashion designer, and daughter of the POTUS was raised a Christian but her husband, Jared Kushner, is Jewish. They were both raised in their respective faiths but came together nonetheless to form a truly unique bond. Trump converted to Judaism after she became engaged to Kushner.

Jane Fonda And Ted Turner

After Jane Fonda had filed for divorce from Ted Turner, the founder of CNN, it brought a formal end one of the most talked-about celebrity marriages. Turner laid much of the blame for the collapse of the marriage on Fonda becoming a devout Christian. Turner said, “She just came home and said, ‘I’ve become a Christian.’ That’s a pretty big change for your wife of many years to tell you. That’s a shock.”

Kevin Bacon And Kyra Sedgwick

Kevin Bacon is a non-practicing Catholic, and his longtime spouse Kyra Sedgwick is Jewish. Their wedding, however, was conducted at a civil ceremony and Sedgwick herself admitted to being rather far removed from any formal religious practice. While the two haven’t been open about religion, they did decide to raise their kids in the Jewish tradition. Bacon actively promotes the cause of the separation of church and state and has even said in an interview, “I don’t believe in God.”

George Clooney And Amal Alamuddin

Amal Alamuddin comes from a Muslim background, while George Clooney was raised in Kentucky to a devout Catholic family. Clooney speaks highly of his Catholic roots and has even said, “I used to go to confession every week….I grew up with a great sense of structure and respect.” While Clooney was raised a strict Catholic, and Amal a practicing Muslim, their wedding ceremony was not religious. The couple recited meaningful handwritten vows in front of their guest and loved ones.

Casey Affleck And Summer Phoenix

Casey Affleck, brother of the equally talented and attractive Ben Affleck, was born and raised Episcopalian, and his wife, Summer Phoenix, was brought up in a widely controversial faith, the religious cult, the Children of God. The two have not let their difference in faith affect their relationship, as they have been happily married for eleven years and even have two children together, named Indiana and Atticus. They do not raise their kids under either religion.

Sacha Baron Cohen And Isla Fisher

Just when we thought his portrayal of a bigoted, man-child from Kazakhstan in Borat was the only reason to love him we find out that Sacha Baron Cohen isn’t so close minded in real life. The famous American actor and comedian is Jewish, born and raised, while his stunning wife, Isla Fisher, did not grow up with any religion. However, before marrying Cohen, the Keeping Up With The Joneses actress converted to Judaism. Married since 2010, the couple now have three children together.

Amanda Peet And David Benioff

Popular television and film actress Amanda Peet may be known for dazzling blue eyes and long brunette locks but what many people don’t know is that she’s actually in an intrafaith relationship with David Benioff. The two have been married since 2006 and the fact that she is a Quaker and her husband is Jewish doesn’t seem to bother them much. Peet also comes from a similar background as her father is a Quaker and her mother is Jewish.

David Cross And Amber Tamblyn

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, actress Amber Tamblyn and her comedian/actor David Cross husband may seem like an unlikely being that they both come from to different religious backgrounds but they have been going strong since 2011 when they got engaged. Tamblyn (who is spiritual but not religious) and Cross (who was born Jewish but is currently an atheist) married on October 6, 2012. In February, the famous couple announced via Instagram that they welcomed a daughter, Marlow Alice Cross.

Ashton Kutcher And Mila Kunis

Ashton Kutcher was born and raised in a Roman Catholic family, and his wife Mila Kunis was raised in a Jewish family who won an immigration lottery to the U.S. when Mila was seven years old. Kutcher doesn’t seem too keen on organized religion. However, he has been a student of Kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism, for many years. Kunis has admitted that her religious training died off once her family came to the U.S., but still identifies herself as Jewish.

Freddie Prinze Jr. And Sarah Michelle Gellar

Freddie Prinze Jr. is pretty clear about why his marriage with fellow actress Sarah Michelle Gellar has lasted so long, and that’s acceptance of their differences, starting with each other’s religious backgrounds. Freddie was raised Roman Catholic, embraces his Hispanic heritage, and also speaks Spanish. Gellar, who was born and raised in Manhattan, New York, is Jewish and word is, her mother is quite religious. The couple tied the knot in 2002, and they wed in a secular ceremony.

Drew Barrymore And Will Kopelman

Although sadly no longer together, this was one of our favorite interfaith celebrity couples. The actress never officially converted to Judaism after marrying art connoisseur Will Kopelman in a Jewish ceremony, but apparently, she enjoys practicing the ancient religion. “It’s a beautiful faith, and I’m so honored to be around it. It’s so family-oriented,” she revealed during an interview. The Charlie’s Angels actress also said she would be raising her children in the faith as well.

Mel Brooks And Anne Bancroft

Mel Brooks was born and raised Jewish, and his wife Anne Bancroft was born and raised Catholic. The couple was married from 1964 until Bancroft’s death in 2005. Regarding his stance on religion, Brooks stated, “I’m rather secular. I’m basically Jewish. But I think I’m Jewish not because of the Jewish religion at all. I think it’s the relationship with the people and the pride I have.” The two got married on August 5, 1964, at the Manhattan Marriage Bureau.

Woody Allen And Soon-Yi Previn

This celebrity marriage is not only one of the most baffling but also the most controversial, as Soon-Yi is Allen’s ex-wife’s (Mia Farrow), adopted child. Yes, that’s right, he married his step daughter! This interfaith couple has been married since 1997 and has managed to stay out of the spotlight. Allen grew up Jewish but rejected the religious aspects of his upbringing later in life. Allen describes himself as an agnostic, while Soon-Yi Previn was raised by Mia Farrow, who grew up Roman Catholic.

Elizabeth Hurley And Arun Nayar

This is one couple that we were incredibly sad to see go their separate ways after many years of marriage. Not only were they stunning together, but they are also very talented. Elizabeth Hurley follows the Church of England, and her ex-husband Arun Nayar is Hindu. While they may have been of different faiths this isn’t what led to the demise of their relationship. Allegedly, they cited irreconcilable differences at the time of their divorce, but we’ll most likely never know the real reason.

Leonardo DiCaprio And Bar Refaeli

Bar Rafaeli and Leonardo DiCaprio were the epitome of a power couple. However, the drop-dead gorgeous blonde haired blued eyed supermodel and the hunky all-American actor could not make it last. Leonardo DiCaprio, who was born in Los Angeles, California was raised a Roman Catholic, probably due to his German and Italian background. Rafaeli, who was born and raised in Israel, is Jewish. Allegedly during their relationship, DiCaprio’s was spiritually flexible and willing to convert to Judaism.

Anne Hathaway And Adam Shulman

Sometimes you just have to have a little faith in your husband and in Anne’s case she has a lot in Shulman. Hathaway was raised Catholic however, the Les Miserables actress became disillusioned with the Church as a teenager, and in 2009 referred to her religious beliefs as a ‘work in progress’. The star has since demonstrated there is room for Judaism in that ‘progress,’ as she headed to a synagogue in Los Angeles with her Jewish husband Adam Shulman.

Zooey Deschanel And Jacob Pechenik

Zooey, who gave birth to the couple’s son Charlie in May, was raised with an open mind by her Roman Catholic mother and her Quaker father. They encouraged to find her own spiritual path in life and told her she could be whatever she wants, which apparently was Jewish. In order to be as one with husband Jacob Pechenik, The New Girl actress converted to Judaism. The couple do indeed seem to be in sync on the red carpet.

Natalie Portman And Benjamin Millepied

The fact that Millepied was not Jewish did not bother Portman, but he decided to convert anyway. The two married in a private Jewish ceremony in 2012 and have since been living in Tel Aviv, Israel part time. The French dancer and choreographer has revealed his plans to take the next step and become a Jew and said that converting to the same religion as his wife is ‘very important’ to him. The two just welcomed their second child, Amalia, in May.

Mila Kunis And Macaulay Culkin

Although Mila Kunis is Jewish it seems she really has a thing for Catholic men, as before she was married to Kutcher, she was dating another Catholic actor, Macaulay Culkin. The Home Alone star was born and raised in Manhattan, New York and was brought up a Catholic. Culkin attended Catholic school for 5 years before his career got in the way of his studies. While Culkin was growing up, his father’s job was to prepare the church for Mass.

David Arquette And Courteney Cox

Courtney Cox and former husband may have both appeared in TV comedy series, but that seemed to be about all the couple had in common. Cox was born and raised in Mountain Brook, Alabama as an Episcopalian and Arquette was raised Jewish. Cox and Arquette were married in an Episcopal ceremony at an Episcopal church in San Francisco and their only child, Coco, was baptized in an Episcopal baptism at an Episcopal church. Other than that, Cox seems largely non-religious.

Gwyneth Paltrow And Chris Martin

The lead singer of one the world’s most popular rock band and a beautiful actress the two seemed like a match made in Hollywood heaven despite their conflicting religious beliefs. Gwyneth Paltrow was born and raised Jewish while her ex-husband Chris Martin was raised as an Episcopalian. This probably became a problem in their relationship as Paltrow became closer and closer to spirituality through Jewish mysticism commonly referred to as Kabbalah. While the two are divorced, they’re still on good terms.

Nell Carter And George Krynicki

Actress Nell Carter converted to Judaism from Christianity in 1982 when she married Jewish mathematician and lumber executive George Krynicki. She even made trips to Israel where she left letters in Jerusalem’s Western Wall. Carter’s adopted religion helped her through her struggles with drug addiction, two divorces, diabetes, obesity, and a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 1992. She regularly attended services, and even sustained memberships at Temple Shalom and Temple Emanuel, and raised her two adopted African-American sons in the Jewish faith.

Chelsea Clinton And Marc Mezvinsky

If you’ve been following politics at all since the late 1990’s, then you’d know that the Clinton family are Methodist, including their daughter Chelsea who is married to Marc Mezvinsky. This interfaith couple was married in July 2010 under a traditional wedding canopy (also called a chuppah) and recited the traditional seven wedding blessings. A rabbi and a Methodist minister officiated at their wedding. In addition, the couple signed a Jewish marriage contract also called a ketubah.

Tom Arnold And Roseanne Barr

In an interview with The Jewish Journal, Arnold said that while he was not raised in a Jewish home, but after converting for his ex-wife Roseanne Barr, it’s who he is now, and truly was all along. Arnold even had a Bar Mitzvah in his 30’s. Arnold was born and raised in Iowa, one of seven kids. His mother, who was an alcoholic, abandoned him as a child, and then passed away in her 40’s, after marrying seven times.

Kate Hudson And Chris Robinson

Although this interfaith couple didn’t stay together, they were married for seven years from 2000 until 2007. Robinson was the singer of the American rock band The Black Crowes. The singer was an atheist while Hudson was born and raised Jewish. Th model and actress however now considers herself both Jewish and Buddhist, or “Jewbu” if you will. Unlike her ex-husband, Hudson often talks about her spiritual side and considers it a very important aspect of her life.

Ben Stiller And Christine Taylor

Ben, who is Jewish and Christine, who is Christian, first met on the set of Fox TV pilot Heat Vision and Jack in 1999. They tied the knot in 2000 at an oceanfront ceremony in Kauai, Hawaii and now have two children together, daughter Ella Olivia, 15, and son Quinlin Dempsey, 12. Although one may think that their differences in religious background may have contributed to their split, the real reason was the fact that Stiller hid his battle with prostate cancer.

Russell Brand And Katy Perry

One of the music industries unique former couples they not only shared a difference in political views but also religious backgrounds. Perry who was raised an Evangelical Christian had trouble accepting the fact that Brand was an atheist and had no plans of changing. Katy Perry grew up in Santa Barbara, California with two pastor parents, and she even sang in the church choir! Although her parents’ household was strictly religious, however, nowadays the singer is more relaxed in her practice.

Miranda Kerr And Evan Spiegel

Victoria’s Secret model Miranda Kerr and her husband Evan Spiegel, who is also the founder of Snapchat, are another famous interfaith couple. Kerr, who is a practicing Christian, said “I do” to Spiegel, who is Jewish. The couple even waited until marriage to seal the deal. The two wed in a non-traditional ceremony and decided to exchange vows in front of about 40 close friends and family in their own back yard, on the grounds of the $12 million home they purchased last year.

Elizabeth Taylor And Mike Todd

Although it is commonly thought the British-born superstar converted to Judaism to marry a Jewish man, the truth is, Taylor began the conversion process after the death of her third husband, Michael Todd, and nearly a year before her marriage to singer Eddie Fisher. Taylor was born into a family of Christian Scientists. Taylor’s godfather, English statesman Victor Cazalet, was a Christian Science preacher, but it doesn’t seem to be something she spoke about very much.

Elizabeth Banks And Max Handelman

Banks converted to Judaism for her husband, Max Handelman, who she met on their first day of college. During a podcast with WTF in 2013 Banks said, “I’ve been essentially a Jew for like 15 years. I haven’t had a Christmas tree in 15 years.” Her children are also being raised Jewish. TheHunger Games actress was born and raised in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and grew up a bit of a Christian mutt as one of her parents was Protestant, and the other was a Catholic.

Marilyn Monroe And Arthur Miller

Marilyn Monroe was raised by her mother as a devout Christian Scientist, but she converted to Judaism when she married famous playwright Arthur Miller. The unlikely pair divorced in 1961 after facing a couple of serious hardships, including Miller’s investigation for communist sympathies, and Monroe’s depression, miscarriages, and substance use. While photos of the two together are hard to come across, here we can see the the two sharing an intimate moment in their backyard.

Katie Holmes And Tom Cruise

Katie Holmes was born and raised a Catholic but converted to Scientology when she married Tom Cruise. Since their very public and messy divorce, Holmes has reportedly returned to her Catholic roots. Tom, on the other hand, is still very much involved in the Church of Scientology and is one of the organization’s most valuable members. One of the reasons Katie Holmes left Scientology was to protect her daughter Suri, whom she now has custody over.

Taye Diggs And Idina Menzel

Known for his performance as Benjamin “Benny” Coffin in the Tony-award winning musical Rent and its film adaptation in 2005, Taye Diggs is a Christian, and his wife, Idina Menzel, is Jewish. They were both raised in their respective faiths, but that didn’t stop them from getting together and marrying in 2003, but later they divorced in 2014. While the cause of the split wasn’t clear, we wonder if it had anything to do with their difference in religious beliefs.

Larry King And Shawn Engemann

Larry King was raised Jewish but now says that he’s an atheist. Since 1997 Larry King has been married to actress, singer, and TV host Shawn King. Larry’s wife has been raised strictly Mormon but having a husband that’s a different faith doesn’t seem to bother her much. King has stated that his new interest in cryonics is due to not believing in an afterlife or a higher power. Human suffering from natural disasters, like Hurricane Katrina is the main reason he doubts religion.

Janet Jackson And Wissam Saleh Al Mana

A couple who isn’t entirely on the same page about religion can make it work, but things get harder when a child enters the equation, and Jackson and Wissam are the perfect example of that. The Jacksons were raised as devout Jehovah’s Witnesses, and her Qatari multi-millionaire businessman ex-husband Wissam is Muslim. Jackson and the Qatari multi-millionaire businessman were married for f4 years until they divorced after their son was born, at which point their differences became more irreconcilable.

Quentin Tarantino And Daniella Pick

Age isn’t the only difference that American director, writer, and actor Quentin Tarantino and Israeli singer Daniela Pick have in common. The two also come from very different cultural and religious backgrounds. Tarantino, who was raised Roman Catholic in Tennessee, has recently come out as an atheist. While receiving a plaque at the Lumiere Awards, he was noted saying, “Cinema is my religion and France is the Vatican.” Pick, is an Israeli socialite and a practicing Jew. Let’s hope they make it!

David Bowie And Iman

This iconic couple was raised in very different backgrounds, but they came together nonetheless and were married for 24 years until Bowie’s untimely passing. Bowie was born in London, England and although he wasn’t raised religious, he has tried about every religion in the book and referred to himself as an athiest. Retired model and business mogul Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid was born in Mogadishu, Somalia and raised as a Muslim. However, she attended a private Catholic school for girls.